Apparatus for reversing and opening folded sheets



March 8,1938. 0, wow A 2,110,805

APPARATUS FOR REVERSING AND OPENING FOLDED SHEETS Filed Aug. 11, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 8, 1938. Q LUTOLF 2,110,805

APPARATUS FOR REVERSING AND OPENING FOLDED SHEETS Filed Aug. 11, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 M$rch8,1938. o, LUTOLF 2,110,305

APPARATUS FOR REVERSING AND OPENING FOLDED SHEETS Filed Aug. 11, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig. 12

E i 12a. 107

March 8, 1938. v U 2,110,805

APPARATUS FUR REVERSING 'AND OPENI NG FOLDEDSHEETS Filed Aug. 11, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Mar. 8, 1938 PATENT OFFlCE APPARATUS FOR REVERSING AND OPENING FOLDED SHEETS Otto Liitolf, St. Gallen, Switzerland 18 Claims.

This invention relates to a process for reversing and opening sheets folded in a folding machine for the purpose of stitching the same in a stitching machine and apparatus for carrying out this 5 process.

According to hitherto known processes, there must be mounted in the folding machine for the simultaneous folding and stitching, a stitching apparatus of such a character that the latter, is arranged at the second folding place or, technically expressed, on the second fold, between the first and second folding place for the purpose of applying the stitches and on the third fold i. e. between the second and third and on the fourth fold i. e. between the third and fourth folding place of'the folding machine. If it were desired to so contrive the device that the stitches could be applied at any one of the above indicated folding places, the mounting of three stitching units would be necessary. Apart from the inaccessibility of the individual stitching units, as so placed it is not possible, for practical reasons, to mount all three stitching units in one folding machine, since such an arrangement would take up too 9 much space which in many cases would not be available.

With a further process, the sheets are stitched by means of a stitching and folding device at a collecting place on the machine before carrying out the last fold and are at the same time folded in the following manner:

The sheet runs from the folding machine on to the conveyor band of the penultimate folding place, under the stitching head of a stitching ma- 35 chine which has been coupled on, is there held and stitched, is then carried by the conveyor band to a folding apparatus also coupled on and is there held fast, folded and then carried into the collector.

With the first-mentioned process, the use is confined to only one class of stitching apparatus, that is, the one mounted in the folding machine and for the different kinds of folds a corresponding number of stitching units have to be mounted. Furthermore, only that class of stitching can be carried out as corresponds to the class of the stitching apparatus mounted.

According to the last mentioned process, the sheet can only be stitched before the final folding place, with the backs of the sheets underneath. Consequently, the introduction of the stitches takes place from above in order that the correct position for the process can be attained. The paper to be stamped out for the passage of the 5 stitching wire must be thrust into the turning Application August 11, 1936, Serial No. 95,407 I In Switzerland August 23, 1935 over devices which are located under the paper and under the hooks on the holding limbs and these become stopped-up after a short time. The turning-over devices must be frequently removed and cleaned. Owing to the concealed position of the holding hooks under the paper, it is impossible to test them, so that it is possible for a number of defectively stitched sheets to leave the stitching machine unnoticed. Since the stitching takes place before the carryingout of the last fold, the sheet must be taken from the stitching machine to the last folding position. This necessitates an arrangement which restricts the stitching of the sheets to a single sheet collecting place, since the adjacently located and coupled stitching and folding members, on account of their weight and their extent, must remain fixed.-

The process according to the invention consists in the ready folded sheet being positively conveyed by the reversing device from a collecting point of the folding machine until it is above the gap between .its Withdrawal rollers. The folded sheet is then, with its back upwards, being thrown upwardly into a sheet opener where it is, held by supporting members in a vertical position, and from which it is seized by puncturing members, opened and thrust on to the stitching saddle of the stitching machine, where it is stitched and finally thrown into a collector.

In this way, any type of stitching machine can b turns it over, opens it, and forces it, for stitching,

on to the saddle of the stitching machine. The device includes, also means which permit the device turning over and opening the sheet to be shifted without trouble with respect to the folding machine.

One embodiment of a device suitable for car rying out the process according to the invention is shown by Way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:-

Fig. 1 shows the back elevation in the direction of the arrow 0, of Fig. 3,

Fig. 2 is a front elevation in the direction of the arrow 1) of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 3 is an end view seen in the direction of the arrow 6 of Fig. 1, parts being omitted or shown broken in each elevation.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the sheet-opener (open),

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 shows one of the pairs of puncturing members mounted on this sheet opener.

Fig. 7 shows the running cross bar for the sheet opener, parts being omitted,

Fig. 8 shows in side view and plan the cam guide provided on the running cross bar, with parts of the running cross bar,

Fig. 9 shows the front withdrawal roller in partial section,

Fig. 10 is a detail thereof in plan,

Fig. 11 shows in elevation the sheet separator and parts for its actuation, with a second position, shown in chain dotted lines.

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of a sheet pressing-on roller,

Fig. 12 is an end elevation of the sheet pressing-on roller illustrated in Fig. 12,

Fig. 13 shows in elevation, the coupling release device with a second position shown in chain dotted lines,

Figs. 14 and 15 show the coupling and adjacent parts thereof in side and front elevation, respectively,

Fig. 16 shows the sheet guiding members on the stitching saddle in elevation, and

Fig. 17 shows a detail thereof in perspective.

A shaft 5 is driven by means of belt carrying pulleys 3 and 4 actuated by a motor 2 (Fig. 1) which is carried in the frame I of the stitching machine. The motion is transmitted by means of a chain drive 6, I to a shaft 8 with toothed wheels 9 (Fig. 3) thereon and from the latter through a pair of toothed wheels I0, I l to a pair of sheet withdrawal rollers l3 carried in the frame l2 of a sheet reversing device. Over these rollers and sunk in grooves formed therein, run pairs of conveyor bands 14 which run contrary to the direction of rotation of the Withdrawal rollers l3. These conveyor bands form the continuation of the conveyor path for the sheets coming out of the folding machine between the last pair of guide rollers .5 thereof (see arrow d Fig. 3) which sheets are now conveyed towards the withdrawal rollers 53 between the inner faces of the conveyor bands 54 which are carried by the pair or guide rollers 18, arranged perpendicularly under the pair of rollers i5, and by the guide rollers I1, I!) in one direction, and I8 and 20 in the other direction. The bands 14 are kept adjusted by tension rollers 2!.

The sheets coming from the conveyor bands,

after esit from the withdrawal rollers 13 are, on account of the hi h circumferential speed of these rollers, thrown upwards towards the apex of a sheet opener 22, the throwing movement of the sheets commencing after leaving the witthdrawal rollers 13, up to which point they have been positively conveyed.

On its passage between the withdrawal rollers E3, the sheet presses against a yieldable member 23, Figs. 9 and 10, of a locking device 24 mounted in the front roller for the blocking and actuation of a release mechanism 25 (Fig. 13) ofa coupling 26. The said member 23 which is. raised slightly above the circumference of the roller I3 is under the action of a spring 28 and is supported by means of a ball 21 on the shorter arm of a lever 29 rotatable about a pivot 28 The member 23 is fitted in a piece 30 which closes the recess for the lever 29 from the top and which piece 33 is screwed flush with the periphery of the roller. From the underside of this closing piece 30, a fiat spring 3! presses against the longer arm of the lever 29, while a spring 33 engaging on a movable claw 32 of the lever 29 tends to keep the claw 32 out of engagement with the head flange 34 of a rod 35 moving longitudinally in the roller. On a terminal flange 38 of this rod which is located externally of the roller and of the spur-wheel It, there engages by means of a grooved head 3'5, the rocking arm 38 which is rotatable about the pivot 33 which pivot is carried by the release mechanism 25 for the coupling 26. The object of this release mechanism in combination with the coupling is as follows:

When the roller I3 is running idly i. e. with the yieldable member 23 untouched, the rocking arm 38 of the release mechanism assumes the perpendicular position shown in chain dotted lines Fig. 13. A roller 43 provided on the oscillating arm 38 engages in this position a guide member 4! having an inclined surface and which is connected with a part 43 which is movable vertically on a guide rod 42. Such engagement forces the roller 43 in the direction of the arrow e, and the aforesaid means 33, 34, 35 are provided for holding it in this position. There is connected to the body 43 a lever arm 44 of an elbow lever hinged at 45, while the other arm 4'5 is connected with the pin 4'! of a coupling part 52 of the coupling 26. When the arm 44 is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the coupling 25 is engaged and a shaft 49 controlling the movement of the sheet opener 22 of the sheet feed members 48, 48 and of the stitching machine, is at rest. The inward movement of the yieldable member 23, effected by the sheet running through, causes the unlocking of the rod 35 and the oscillation of the rocking arm 38, assisted by the spring 50.

At the same time a roller 5! provided on the outer coupling part 52 moves from the raised part of the curve of an inner sector-shaped cam 55 rotating loosely on the shaft 49 and moved by the toothed gears 53, 54, on to the lower part of the curve of said cam. The coupling part 52 is correspondingly thrust inwards causing the dropping of a pawl 56 into a toothed rim 51 fitted on the shaft 49, and thus effects the rotation of the shaft. With the displacement of the outer coupling part 52, there has also taken place the shifting of the pin 4'5 fixed thereon and with it the oscillation of the elbow lever 44, 43 into the position shown in Fig. 13. The sheet opener, sheet feed members and the stitching machine now operate. On the roller 5!, again running up to the raised cam part, the coupling part 52 shifts into the previous position, the pawl slips out of the ratchet wheel and the pin 41 moves the elbow lever 44, 48 in the direction indicated by the arrow 1 in Fig. 13. The inclined path 4! of the part 43 consequently moves in the vertical direction and forces the roller 43 and with it the rocking arm 38 again into the initial position (Fig. 1), whereby the locking of the yieldable member 23 is again es.- tablished.

As stated above the sheet until leaving the withdrawal rollers 13 is positively carried in the sheet opener, after which it passes over a gap amounting to about 5 cm. i. e. the gap between the withdrawal rollers and up to the supporting point in the sheet opener 22, by the momentum imparted to it by the rapid movement of the rollers.

The sheet opener 22 consists of two wings 59 Fig. 4 capable of a scissor-like movement about a 1 common pivot 58, which pivot is carried in two suspension bearings 52 each provided with a pair of running rollers 60 and movable on a rigid cross bar IiI of the reversing device. Its actuation takes place with the engagement of the coupling 26 or respectively the engagement of the pawl 56 in the ratchet wheel 51 and the transmission of motion taking place thereby from the driving shaft 5 to the shaft 49. The shaft 49 transmits the motion through a bevel gear 93 to a shaft 95 carried on the frame I of the stitching machine and terminating in an arm 94. The arm 64 is connected by a link 6'3 with an elbow lever 68, 69 hinged at 6?, which elbow lever is hingedly connected by a link 19 with the projection II of a guide angle piece 12 fixed on the front suspension bearing 62 of the sheet opener.

Owing to the circular movement of the arm 64, there is produced through the parts 66 to III a reciprocating movement of the sheet opener. Each wing thereof has a guide strip I3 with turned-in ends, which abut on each other at the ends when the sheet opener is in the receiving position, and leave a free passage for the sheet. The sheet thrown with the back uppermost into the opener, runs between ratchet wheels I4 which contact with each other (Figs. 4 and 5), these ratchets being so carried that they yield flexibly, and after the passage of the sheet can be again moved forward so that the sheet is now supported in a perpendicular position with the edges above the ratchet wheels 14. The rotation of the ratchet wheels 14 can only take place in the direction in which the sheet moves, an opposite rotation being prevented by locking springs I5. The opener 24 thus in the first place fulfills the task of a sheet catching device.

At this instant, when the sheet is supported perpendicularly by the small wheels M, the sheet opener and with it, the remainder of the sheet feeding members as also the stitching machine commence moving. The puncturing devices mounted in the two wings of the sheet opener are thereby actuated, by means of which the sheets are seized in the manner of pincers. The release of the movement takes place by an oscillatable roller I6 carried on each wing which, on the forward movement of the opener, runs along the curved guide of a plate I? fixed on the frame of the reversing device. As a result of the movement produced thereby in each movable axis I8 of the rollers 16, an arm 19 fixed thereon throws forward against the action of a spring 86 a needle shaft 82 hinged on the arm and adapted to slide in a sleeve BI carried in the bearing Bil.

A pin gripped in a spring 83 is thereby moved away laterally from the wall of the sleeve 8! and a needle 84 fitted on this pin is thrust into the sheet or respectively into the cutting lines thereof. Following thereon a needle 85 thrown forward axially and fitting in the shaft 82 sticks into the sheet, so that the sheet is held at each of four points by the needles. The needle shafts 82 of the two opener wings 59 are slightly displaced with respect to each other. On each oscillating axis I9 there is held close to the roller 16 a pin 86 between two fiat springs 91, for the purpose of holding the roller I9, after leaving its curved guide on the plate TI in the last assumed position, against the action of the spring 86 in order to permit the roller I9, on running back, to enter the guide ll again.

On the further forward movement of the sheet opener, a second guide roller 88 on each wing enters the cam guide of a saddle-shaped plate 89 fitted on the running cross bar SI. On the entry into the cam guides, that is, with the wings still closed and the sheet closed but penetrated by the puncturing devices, both rollers 88 are perpendicular and receive with the wings on the forward movement in the inclined plate part, an outward movement and an angular displacement which corresponds to the angle of the stitching saddle on the stitching machine on which the sheet is now opened. Following thereon, a curved rail 99 which is. firmly fitted on the guide angle piece I2 connecting the sheet opener with the driving rod thereof, comes against a guide eye 9i of an elbow lever 93 hinged on a carrier 92 of the running cross bar 5i, and which forms a part of the oscillating mechanism for an extension piece on the stitching saddle N4 of a socalled sheet separator 94. With the entry of the guide eye 9| of the elbow lever into the cam groove of the rail 99, the elbow lever 93 oscillates the downwardly directed sheet separator 94 into the working position (Fig. 11), the longer arm of the elbow lever 93, which controls. a slot guide 95 on the carrier 96, lifts this and with it the sheet separator 94 when it moves. After the rollers 88 have left the curved guides of the plate 99, rigid sliding members 98 on the wings 59 slide along the rails 91 of the running cross bar iii, now widened out on both sides, in order to keep open these wings in the last assumed angular position. The sheet is prevented from falling down as it is still pierced by the needles.

On the further forward movement of the sheet opener, each roller 19 of the wing slides into a stripper cam guide of a plate 99. The course of the guide is such that by the movement of the rollers the needle shafts 82 are withdrawn and the sheet is freed from the needles. The sheet now drops astride the sheet separator 94, is thrust by a plunger to the stitching saddle H4 and is at the same time held fast by a pressingon roller I99 which is fixed on the stitching head of the stitching machine and which has accompanied the downward movement thereof.

The pressure exerted by the roller is variable in consequence of the action of a damping spring IEH provided on its guide pin and the dimensions of the pressing-on roller are such that its cooperation with the sheet takes place slightly before the stitching process and the flexible pressing-on thus only takes place at the moment of the stitching process. The parts which have brought the sheets to this position then return into their initial positions.

During the following working process of the device, the sheet which is on the stitching saddle is forced by a stop I92 on the angle-shaped sheetfeeding member 48 under the reverser I94 of the stitching head I99, is there stitched and then thrown by means of the forward moving feed member 48 into the collector (not shown). Each sheet feeding member has a guide roller I99 and is mounted on a guide rod I9! carried on the frame of the device, which guide rod is fixed on the guide angle piece I2 of the sheet opener and consequently accompanies the movements of the parts. A hinged finger I M is so reversible to one side or'the other in a small plate I93 appertaining to the feed member 49 that on the return of the member w the finger flexibly reverses on its support and slides without effect over the sheet already in position against the pressure of a flat spring I99 rises on the forward movement and engages a stop on the small plate I03 and moves the sheet forward (see Fig.

til

17). The finger I06 projects slightly into a depression H0 in the saddle plate which facilitates its hold on the sheet and the feed forward thereof.

The movements of all the parts of the apparatus are so arranged that simultaneously with the foremost sheet dropping into the collector, the next sheet is under the stitching head, and a further sheet freed from the puncturing members is placed on the saddle.

Since with the stitching machine described, the sheet lies with the back upwards, the insertion of the stitching wire can take place from below; on the other hand, the turning-over devices work downward which has as a result that the paper stamped out and coming. into the turning-over device is entirely discarded with each working operation, whereby a stopping up of the turningover device is prevented. Furthermore, in my invention, the stitching hooks come on, instead of under, the paper, whereby a continuous check ing thereof is possible without removing or touching the sheets which are being conveyed. Naturally, the sheets, when using a corresponding stitching machine, can also be stitched from above in the usual manner.

The reversing device can be easily separated from the projection H of the stitching machine by loosening a few parts such as the rod [6! and the link 19. For the purpose of easier adjustability at the required collecting position, the reversing device has foot rollers, whilst the heavier stitching machine is suitably shifted by means of roller stools. For the exact adjustment of the device, rails can be provided in front of the collecting places of the folding machine, and the same foot of the stitching machine can be provided with distance rollers. The device, after insertion at the collecting place, needs only to be locked at a particular position on the ground to be connected at the proper range of operation of the folding machine. The device in question can be mounted on any type of stitching machine and can be combined with any type of folding machines.

As can be seen from the foregoing, the stitching machine is neither built into the folding machine nor coupled with it but only pushed on to this.

I claim:-

1. A device of the class described for use in connection with a sheet folding machine, comprising a frame, means for carrying folded sheets from said folding machine carried by said frame, withdrawal rollers on said frame for throwing successive folded sheets upwardly from said rollers, the backs of said thrown sheets being uppermost, a sheet opener on said frame for receiving said thrown sheet, means carried by said opener and operable to impale said sheet to retain the same thereon, means carried by said opener for opening said sheet, means carried by said frame for moving said holder laterally, a sheet separator on said frame, means for transferring said sheet from said opener to said separator, a stitching saddle on said frame, means for transferring said sheet from said separator to said saddle, means for stitching said sheets carried by said frame, and means for removing said sheets from said saddle.

2. The structure of claim 1, said sheet opener comprising a pair of hingedly connected plates, means for gripping said sheet between said plates as said sheet is thrown upwardly prior to the operation of said impaling means, and said means for transferring said sheet from said opener to said separator including means for withdrawing said impaling means from said sheet.

3. The structure of claim 1, locking means carried by one of said withdrawal rollers to prevent said lateral movement of said holder, and yieldable means carried by the periphery of said roller and operable by the pressure of a sheet passing between said rollers to release said looking means.

l. The structure of claim 1, said sheet opener comprising a pair of hingedly connected plates, means for gripping said sheet between said plates as said sheet is thrown upwardly prior to the operation of said impaling means, and said means for transferring said sheet from said opener to said separator including means for withdrawing said impaling means from said sheet, and said means for gripping said sheet between said plates comprising means closing said plates upon said sheet and opposed ratchets carried by opposite free edges of said plates, said ratchets being rotatable only in the direction of travel of said sheets and being yieldably mounted to yieldingly grip said sheet therebetween.

5. The structure of claim 1, locking means carried by one of said withdrawal rollers to prevent said lateral movement of said holder, yieldable me-ans carried by the periphery of said roller and operable by the pressure of a sheet passing between said rollers to release said locking means, said locking means comprising a two armed lever pivotally mounted in said roller axially thereof, one arm of said lever supporting said yieldable means, a pawl formed on the end of the other arm of said lever, a rod axially slidable in said roller, the inner end of said rod having a head formed thereon to engage said pawl to retain said rod in one position, and said lever being adapted to be rocked by inward pressure on said yieldable means to raise said pawl and disengage the same from said rod to permit sliding movement of the same to another position.

6. The structure of claim 1, locking means carried by one of said withdrawal rollers to prevent said lateral movement of said holder, yieldable means carried by the periphery of said roller and operable by the pressure of a sheet passing between said rollers to release said looking means, said locking means comprising a two armed lever pivotally mounted in said roller axially thereof, one arm of said lever supporting said yieldable means, a pawl formed on the end of the other arm of said lever, a rod axially slidable in said roller, the inner end of said rodhaving a head formed thereon to engage said pawl to retain said rod in one position, and said lever being adapted to be rocked by inward pressure on said yieldable means to raise said pawl and disengage the same from said rod to permit sliding movement of the same to another position, and means coupling the other end of said rod with means for moving said holder laterally.

'7. The structure of claim 1, locking means carried by one of said Withdrawal rollers to prevent said lateral movement of said holder, yieldable means carried by the periphery of said roller and operable by the pressure of a sheet passing between said rollers to release said looking means, said locking means comprising a two armed lever pivotally mounted in said roller axially thereof, one arm of said lever supporting said yieldable means, a pawl formed on the end of the other arm of said lever, a rod axially slidable in said roller, the inner end of said rod having a head formed thereon to engage said pawl to retain said rod in one position, and said lever being adapted to be rocked by inward pressure on said yieldable means to raise said pawl and disengage the same from said rod to permit sliding movement of the same to another position, means coupling the other end of said rod with means for moving said holder laterally, means for releasing said coupling, said means comprising an arm pivotally carried for oscillatory movement on the frame of the device, a connection between the upper end of said rod and arm, a roller carried by said arm below the pivot thereof, a member slidably mounted for vertical movement on said frame, a cam surface carried by said member and engageable with said roller to oscillate said arm, and means connecting said slidable member to said coupling.

8. The structure of claim 1, locking means carried by one of said withdrawal rollers to prevent said lateral movement of said holder, yieldable means carried by the periphery of said roller and operable by the pressure of a sheet passing between said rollers to release said locking means,

said locking means comprising a two armed lever pivotally mounted in said roller axially thereof, one arm of said lever supporting said yieldable means, a pawl formed on the end of the other arm of said lever, a rod axially slidable in said roller, the inner end of said rod having a head formed thereon to engage said pawl to retain said rod in one position, and said lever being adapted to be rocked by inward pressure on said yieldable means to raise said pawl and disengage t the same from said rod to permit sliding movement of the same to another position, and means coupling the other end of said rod with means for moving said holder laterally, said coupling comprising an outer and an inner coupling part, said outer coupling being movable towards and away from said inner coupling, an operative connection between said outer coupling and said rod, a cam surface formed on said outer coupling, a roller carried by said inner coupling, a rotating shaft extending through said couplings, and means on said outer coupling and actuatable by said cam to connect said outer coupling to said shaft.

9. The structure of claim 1, said means for moving said opener including a rotating shaft and a releasable connection between said shaft and said opener, said connection including means for changing the rotary motion of said shaft to reciprocal motion.

10. The structure of claim 1, said sheet opener comprising a pair of hingedly connected plates, means for gripping said sheet between said plates as said sheet is thrown upwardly prior to the operation of said impaling means, said means for transferring said sheet from said opener to said separator including means for withdrawing said impaling means from said sheet, rollers pivotally carried by said opener, said rollers being operatively connected to said impaling means,

3 and cam means on said frame and engageable with said rollers upon lateral movement of said holder to actuate said impaling means.

11. The structure of claim 1, cam means carried by said frame for actuating said impaling means upon lateral movement of said holder.

12. The structure of claim 1, said impaling means each having a shaft with a wedge-like head, said impaling means being hinged on an arm carried on said opener and flexibly movable in a slotted tube of a bearing body provided on said opener, a needle carried horizontally and flexibly on said tube and being adapted to be moved inwardly away from the tube by a forward blow of the wedge-shaped head of said shaft, a needle carried axially in said shaft head and being axially displaceable for impaling and cooperating with said first needle to hold said sheets by penetrating the sheets in two directions.

13. The structure of claim 1, said impaling means each having a shaft with a wedge-like head, said impaling means being hinged on an arm carried on said opener and flexibly movable in a slotted tube of a bearing body provided on said opener, a needle carried horizontally and flexibly on said tube and being adapted to be moved inwardly away from the tube by a forward blow of the wedge-shaped head of said shaft, a needle carried axially in said shaft head and being axially displaceable for impaling and cooperating with said flrst needle to hold said sheets by penetrating the sheets in two directions, means for actuating said impaling means, and spring means engageable with portions of said actuating means for maintaining said impaling means in a sheet impaling position.

14. The structure of claim 1, cam means carried upon said frame for actuating said impaling means to impale a sheet upon lateral movement of said holder, and additional cam means engageable with said impaling means to release said sheet upon further lateral movement of said holder.

15. The structure of claim 1, cam means carried upon said frame for actuating said impaling means to impale a sheet upon lateral movement of said holder, additional cam means engageable with said impaling means to release said sheet upon further lateral movement of said holder, and intermediate cam means carried by said frame and engageable with said opener upon lateral-movement thereof to actuate the same to open said sheet and retain it in opened position throughout the lateral movement of said opener.

16. The structure of claim 1, and a pressing on roller carried by said frame and engageable with a sheet on said stitching saddle while said stitching means is actuated.

17. The structure of claim 1, a rail having a cam surface carried by said opener, oscillating means for actuating said separator carried by said frame, a guide eye carried by said oscillating means, said separator comprising an extension of said stitching saddle, said eye being engageable by said cam surface of said rail upon lateral movement of said holder to actuate said oscillating means and said separator.

18. The structure of claim 1, a guide angle piece for said holder carried by said frame, a rod fixed on said angle piece, a plurality of sheet feeding members carried by said rod, a spring pressed hinge finger carried by an outer sheet feeding member, said finger being operative to carry a sheet when moved in one direction.

o'r'ro LiiToLF. 

